Since 1985, CCAP has been a recognized world leader in climate and air quality policy and is the only independent, nonprofit think tank working exclusively on those issues at the local, U.S. national and international levels. Learn More »

Welcome to 2020: a pivotal year for countries to substantially ratchet up their ambition under the Paris Agreement. Under the “ratchet mechanism” (illustrated below) countries are expected to submit new or updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that represent a progression compared to the commitments they made in 2015.

Statement from Ned Helme in Preparation for the Announcement of Obama’s Climate Action Plan

6.24.13

Statement from Ned Helme in Preparation of the Announcement of Obama’s Climate Action Plan

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 24, 2013 – President Obama’s speech outlining his Climate Action Plan can be acknowledged as the most important environmental statement that the president has made in five years. As such, the Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP) is looking forward to the opportunities for both reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and an increase in economic development.

Statement from Ned Helme, president of the Center for Clean Air Policy: “Targeting greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants is a game changer that shows the United States is serious about addressing climate change. But it is important that EPA be flexible about how utilities can comply. Combined heat and power technologies that produce electricity along with useful heat are promising and should be encouraged by the regulations. Another hopeful direction is increased reliance on abundant natural gas. By recommending a flexible approach, EPA’s rules can reduce carbon pollution cost effectively and produce jobs that revitalize America’s manufacturing sector. In fact, states in the industrial Midwest stand to benefit greatly despite what critics are saying. President Obama’s announcement should be seized upon by the states as an opportunity to increase economic growth, not stifle it.”

CCAP’s U.S. Climate Policy Initiative program has focused heavily on the potential opportunities involving existing regulatory tools, new measures within the manufacturing sector that foster renewed growth in industrial efficiency and modernization including the use of combined heat and power (CHP) and overall cost-effective and pragmatic policy options to reduce greenhouse gases in the United States. In addition, CCAP’s Weathering Climate Risks program works closely with cities and companies to enhance resilience to the economic impacts of severe weather and a changing climate.